


Preparations

by black_rose4



Series: Paragon For Life [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Mind Meld, Oral Sex, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-08-15 06:02:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8045128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/black_rose4/pseuds/black_rose4
Summary: On the journey to the Mu Relay, Liara comes to visit Shepard in her quarters.





	Preparations

In an ideal situation, she would prefer to not be alone right now. Of course, she supposed, in an ideal situation this entire mission and everything that had happened and would happen would not have occurred. Saren, the reapers, none of it. But this is not an ideal situation, which is why she is sat alone in her quarters, ‘preparing’ for whatever may come at Ilos.

But she has nothing to prepare for. Her armour and guns are already sorted, always kept in the best condition - cleaned and repaired after every fight, already thoroughly checked over and laid out for her to gear up when they draw close to their destination. 

So, with nothing else to do, she sits there in the dark, allowing herself a rare indulgence; to feel. No holding it off until later, just truly allowing herself to feel what she is feeling right there in the moment. Which, she realises, is a jumble of fear and longing tinged with disappointment, though disappointment at what she isn’t fully sure. 

Up until now, the actual threat of death had never much concerned her. She has been in fights all her life, lived through far worse than many of the threats she’s stared down. Even in more recent fights, grand battles with seemingly endless enemies to take down, death had never been a real concern to her. It was like any other fight. Just another round for her to win. 

But this time? This time she’s not so sure. 

She would like - Emma sighs.  _Company_. To not be alone right now. To have a friend here, to take her mind off it all, to simply be with her right now. But they’re all preparing as well and she doesn’t want to bother them, interrupt whatever the hell they’re doing right now. 

The screen on her monitor is blinding in the darkness, but she leaves it on, game still paused. It’s not providing its usual distraction today, but she can’t seem to find the effort to turn it off either, its light the only thing with her in the room right now. 

The sound of the door opening startles her and Emma can’t help the smile on her face when she sees Liara walking through it. “Shepard. May I speak with you?” 

“Of course. Ya know, I was just thinking about you.” The words are not untrue. She had been hoping that Liara would come through that door, wanting it more than she’d care to admit out loud. 

“I have been thinking about you too. And what we are about to face. I do not know what is going to happen on Ilos. I hope we will stop Saren, of course, but part of me fears we are already too late. There is something I must tell you in case we fail.” 

Emma quickly shakes her head, determined. “We’re not going to fail. I won’t let that happen.” 

“Please,” She holds up a hand to quieten her. “I am not looking for comfort. Saren might already have the Conduit. It is time to be completely honest with each other.” Liara pauses, takes a steadying breath. “These could be our last moments together. Our last chance to show each other how we feel. I want this to be special.”

Her meaning quickly sinks in and for a moment Emma is lost for words. She swallows thickly before she manages to speak. “A-are you sure? We don’t have to do this if you’re not sure.” 

“I have never been more sure of anything in my life.” She takes Emma’s hands in her own, links her fingers through hers. “Will you join with me Emma? Let our bodies and minds unite?” 

All she manages at first is enthusiastic nodding. When she finally pushes out a verbal answer,  _yes_ , Emma is grinning, smile matching the one Liara now wears as well. To her surprise it is Liara who moves first, pulls her close and kisses her hard. Their hands part, but are quickly back on each other, drawing one another close. Yet not close enough. 

There have been so many near moments, so much tension built up between them. But now the coil has snapped and everything comes flooding out. 

They break away only for breath and utilise the space between them to start tugging at one another’s clothes. They come off easily enough, pulled over the other’s head and shrugged off and thrown to the floor. They leave them in a pile and, hands and mouths back on each other again, fumble their way across the room until they reach the bed. 

Emma’s calves hit the mattress first and she sits, bringing Liara with her, sitting her on her lap. Blue hands tangle in blonde hair, tug at the bobble keeping it tied up so she can run her fingers through it. She takes a moment to sit back and look at her, hair free and mussed from her hands. She smiles at the sight, deciding she rather likes this look on her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with it down.” 

“Hardly anyone has. It’s easier to manage when it’s up and out of the way.” 

Gentle fingers tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear and Liara kisses the cheek near her ear. “It looks good on you. I am glad I got to see it.” 

Emma smirks, trying to ignore the warmth she can definitely spreading across her cheeks and to the tips of her ears. “There’s plenty more for you to see, ya know. Like  _this_.” She reaches behind her back and unclasps her bra, letting it dangle in her fingers for a moment before it falls to the floor. She guides Liara’s hands to her chest, encourages her to touch her, asks her to keep going. She barely needs asking. Emma’s eyes shut and she lets her head fall back, leans into Liara’s touch. Lips press against her neck, gentle as they kiss a path down towards her chest. 

But before she properly focuses her attention there, Liara pulls back and captures Emma’s chin in her hand, drawing her gaze back to her. “I have more to show you too.”

Emma gulps in anticipation. “You mean-”

“Meld with me. Let our minds unite so our bodies may do so as well.” 

“Maybe we’d better get more comfortable then.” Liara nods and Emma shimmies out from underneath her, shuffling up towards the top of the bed. She follows after, crawling on hands and knees until she is above her. She claims Emma’s mouth with one more kiss before rolling and laying beside her. 

She places a hand on Emma’s cheek, thumb stroking gently. “Are you ready to begin?” 

“That depends. Do we need to do anything?” Emma chuckles. “Because I’m gonna be honest, if you say _embrace eternity_  I’m probably going to laugh and ruin the moment.”   

Liara exhales a laugh. “No, this works differently. Those words act as a focus point, an anchor if you will. That is not needed this time. But if it will help the process for you, you can look into my eyes.” Her hand leaves her cheek and claims Emma’s, fingers linking with hers. Another anchor point, something a little more tangible. Something to squeeze should she need the comfort, to reassure her that she’s right there and going nowhere. 

It overwhelms her at first, and Emma lets out a gasp of surprise. She feels a hand squeeze hers, only the feeling is amplified. She grips it tight as her nerves explode with sensation, her mind races as tries to take in and make sense of floods of new information. Most of what comes through first is vague, general feelings and emotions and flashes of images she can’t make sense of. She struggles to separate it all out, begin to understand it clearly. Her breathing picks up. 

“I am right here with you.”

Liara’s voice cuts through the chaos and she focuses on that, takes deep breaths. Clearer words speak through now.  _Her_  words in  _her_  voice. Words never spoken aloud, but she knows their meaning is true, every single damned word. She feels it, feels their conviction, feels the weight they carry. 

She feels Liara’s presence in her mind as well. It is intangible, yet consuming, filling her being, her soul. She sees Liara find the same words in her mind. Words only ever said in the darkness, in the quiet moments when she had wrestled with herself to make sense of it all. To understand what everything she felt meant. What she meant to her. What she  _means_ to her. 

Timid words, unspoken to anyone outside of her family. She finds them sticking on the tip of her tongue, hard to get out of her mouth. Though she wants to, god how she wants to. 

“I love you too.” Emma opens her mouth to speak, to try and force the words to come, but Liara silences her with a kiss. “I know you feel it. That is more than enough for me.” 

She mouths a quiet  _thank you_  to Liara, who simply smiles and kisses her. They continue to kiss as they acclimatise to the meld, taking the time they both need. Hands run across skin, featherlight, barely there at first. Sparks of electricity follow their fingertips, down their sides, up their spines, raising gooseflesh in its wake.  

As their comfort grows, so too does their desire. Hands grasp hungrily, pulling the other closer. Hips roll, seeking friction, anything that brings the contact they need. Their mouths part and Liara resumes her earlier ministrations, nips a path down Emma’s neck until she reaches her chest. She starts slowly, listening as Emma’s breath hitches, feels her heart begin to race. It’s the low whining sound she lets out that finally makes her pick up the pace. Makes her a little hands a little heavier, brings the occasional flash of teeth mixed in between her kisses.

Pleasure envelops them both as they continue their exploration, minds joined just as their bodies are. Skin on skin. Fingers intertwined. Lips and tongue and teeth on flesh, nipping and sucking and kissing. They are sure there will be marks later from when they got a little over-enthusiastic. They do not care. 

Blue hands tangle in blonde hair. Face buried between her thighs. Ravenous and eager for more. Her hips buck when she comes, but steady hands hold her still, support her as she comes crashing back down. Soft kisses press against her inner thigh, tender and loving. Liara smiles, bright and beaming, as she tries to regain control over her breathing. 

She watches as Emma crawls back up to the top of the bed and collapses beside her, sneaking a kiss before she flops. After a few moments, Liara makes to move to repay the favour, but Emma simply shakes her head and nudges her so she falls back onto the bed. 

“I’ve had plenty for one night. That meld is -  _mmm_  - powerful stuff. Maybe next time, eh? How about that?” Liara chuckles softly and agrees, quickly letting the matter rest. There will be plenty of time later on. There  _will_  be. There  _has_  to be. 

They lay together then for what feels like an eternity. At some point Liara finds her way into Emma’s chest, listening to her heartbeat, now calm and steady. Her arm wraps around her waist, strong and warm and comforting, holding onto her tightly, like she’s some sort of dream that will dissolve if she lets go. Lips press to her crest and Liara smiles to herself, as she knows Emma is surely doing too. 

A light turns on at the far side of the room and a familiar voice comes through into the room. “Five minute ETA to the Mu Relay.” 

Emma groans. “How long have you been waiting to announce that, Joker?”

“Longer than I’d like, Commander.” 

The com clicks off and Liara sits up, much to Emma’s disappointment. “I had better go. Duty calls. You would not want to keep Joker waiting.” She takes her hand and squeezes it. “Emma, whatever happens on Ilos, I just wanted to say…thank you. For everything.”

All Emma can reply with is a smile. She watches as Liara dresses and waits until she is out of the room to get up and finally begin her preparations. She stretches as she stands and lets out a content sigh, then makes her way over to a panel on the wall and turns the lights on in the room. 

Approaching the table with her guns and armour, she smiles to herself. “Well, here goes nothing.”


End file.
